1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bodily mounted and attached articles and supports therefor, and more specifically to a shoulder mounted device for holding a flashlight or the like. The present holder provides solid, hands free support for a flashlight or similar device, yet is easily donned and removed as desired. The present holder also provides for adjustment as desired of the aim of a flashlight held therein, and ease of attachment and removal of the flashlight thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Supplemental lighting for various tasks is often important, and the conventional flashlight has proven to be a very practical response to the problem of providing supplemental lighting. However, in many instances the person requiring the supplemental lighting must use both hands to accomplish the task at hand, thus obviating the use of a hand held light. Responses to this problem are old in the art, as exemplified by helmet mounted acetylene lamps used in the mining industry in the past and more current electrically powered helmet lamps, as well as other similar devices.
However, such helmet mounted lights are generally relatively specialized, and cannot provide the universal function of a conventional dry cell powered flashlight which includes the electrical power source and light source in a single convenient unit. Also, in many instances a hat or helmet including a Light therewith is impractical, depending upon the room or space available for wearing such an appliance, appearance requirements (e. g., military or other uniform, etc.), and/or perhaps other reasons. As a result, various bodily attachable light holders have been developed in the past in response to the above problem. Nevertheless, all of the previously developed devices lack some desired feature (e. g., provision for a conventional flashlight, adjustability, ease of installation and removal of the flashlight, etc.), which is provided by the present flashlight holder.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 295,982 issued on Apr. 1, 1884 to James S. Conwell, titled "Band Lamp And Torch Support," describes an upper body mounted support for a combustion type light source (kerosene lamp, etc.). The device includes waist and chest straps as well as suspender straps from which a pair of supports extend to each side of the wearer's head. Various embodiments are shown for attaching the lamp to the supports, but none would be capable of holding a conventional flashlight. Moreover, no means of aiming the light is provided, as the light used with the Conwell device is omnidirectional.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,717,386 issued on Jun. 18, 1929 to Samuel Kaplan, titled "Flash Light Holder," describes a shoulder mounted device having a generally diagonal strap which passes beneath the opposite shoulder, with a brace extending therefrom to fit beneath the shoulder and upper arm. The flashlight is held by a simple clip, which is in turn secured to a base by a gimbal type mount. The Kaplan device does not provide the security of the present flashlight holder, as the bottom of the underarm brace may shift forwardly or rearwardly, thus causing the attached strap to shift about the upper body of the wearer and causing the shoulder mounted light holder to shift accordingly. Also, the gimbal mount used by Kaplan does not provide ease of loosening or tightening for adjustment, as does the spherical mount adjustment of the present flashlight holder apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,275,765 issued on Mar. 10, 1942 to Robert H. Hummert et al., titled "Portable Light," describes an upper body harness for securing a battery pack to the back of the wearer, with a relatively large spotlight electrically connected thereto. The spotlight hangs loosely on the front of the harness when not in use, but no means for holding the light in a fixed direction is provided by Hummert et al.; the light must be aimed by hand, which precludes the use of both hands in performing a task while the light remains focused thereon by a directionally adjustable and lockable attachment, as provided by the present flashlight holder invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,361,414 issued on Oct. 31, 1944 to Jesse A. Ramsey, titled "Marine Safety Light," describes several embodiments of an omnidirectional lighting device. At least one embodiment may be secured near the shoulder of a person by means of a clip which is attached to a life vest or other garment. The Ramsey light apparatus is intended as an emergency locator device, so rescuers may spot a person at sea. Ramsey provides only a mercury type gravitationally actuated switch for his light; no manually activated switch is provided as such, other than by orienting the light as desired. As the light is omnidirectional, Ramsey does not provide any means for aiming the light in a specific direction, as provided by the present shoulder mounted flashlight holder invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,685 issued on May 9, 1950 to Stanley P. Sadloski et al., titled "Shoulder-Supported Flashlight Holder," describes a device having a shoulder mount formed of "heavy rods" (col. 1, l. 44) with a lanyard extending from the shoulder mount around the opposite side of the body and beneath the shoulder; the device does not completely encircle the upper body for positive securing, as does the present flashlight holder apparatus. While Sadloski et al. provide a locking spherical adjustment for aiming and setting the aim of the flashlight held by their device, the open top clip means used to hold the flashlight does not completely encircle the light and does not provide the positive security for the light which is provided by the present shoulder mounted flashlight holder invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,871 issued on Jun. 5, 1951 to Fiore L. Caggiano, titled "Body Supported Floodlight," describes a harness having a pair of lights extending from the back thereof on flexible "gooseneck" arms. The Caggiano lights are powered by electrical current supplied from a fixed source (e. g., wall outlet, et:c.), and thus an extension cord must be used to supply power to the device. The lights are not quickly and easily removable from their respective gooseneck attachments, whereas the present light is easily removed and replaced from its holder. Moreover, the flexibility of the gooseneck extensions, with the weight of the lights attached to the ends thereof, provides a less secure means of aiming the lights, and particularly of locking the aim as desired, than the locking spherical adjustment of the present flashlight holder invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,084 issued on May 1, 1973 to Blanche P. Trevorrow, titled "Portable Flashlight," describes a relatively small reading type light which is supported by a pair of separate shoulder braces or mounts. Batteries are contained within at least one of the shoulder mounts, with the light itself located at the distal end of two flexible "gooseneck" type attachments which extend from the two shoulder mounts and join at the light. Thus, the light cannot be separated from its gooseneck attachments or from the shoulder braces. Moreover, the Trevorrow device is not configured for holding a conventional flashlight, as is the present invention, and does not provide the positive locking of the aim of the light by means of a spherical joint, as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,413 issued on Nov. 25, 1997 to James Coughlin, titled "Safety Light For Marine Vest," describes a light and battery pack attachment for a conventional life vest or jacket. The lamp has a rearwardly projecting stud which extends through one of the attachment strap passages of the life jacket, and engages a threaded receptacle on a plate on the opposite side of the life jacket panel. The separate battery pack attaches in the same manner. Thus, the Coughlin light is not shoulder mounted and cannot be aimed in a specific direction, except by turning the life jacket panel to which the light is attached, as by turning the upper body while wearing the life jacket. The Coughlin apparatus cannot be adapted to provide for the attachment of a conventional flashlight thereto, as provided by the present flashlight holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,445 issued on Apr. 6, 1999 to Rudy G. Tomich, titled "Highway Worker Safety Signal Device," describes a rigid frame worn about the upper body and supporting a generally vertical rod extending upwardly therefrom. The upper end of the rod has a pair of strobe or other recognition type lights extending therefrom, well above the head of the wearer on a flexible extension. The battery pack for providing electrical power to the lights is remotely located on the lower portion of the frame of the device; thus, the Tomich device is not configured for holding a conventional flashlight. As noted in many of the devices discussed above, the omnidirectional nature of the Tomich lights obviates any requirement for a specific aiming mechanism, as provided by the present shoulder mounted flashlight holder invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,664 issued on Jul. 13, 1999 to Wen-Song Lee, titled "Reading Lamp," describes a small, self contained light and electrical power supply which is suspended from a lanyard worn about the neck of the user. No means is provided for aiming the light; rather, the light reflects from a mirror disposed in the lid of the device, when the lid is opened. The Lee device cannot be adapted to hold a conventional flashlight, as provided by the present shoulder mounted flashlight holder invention.
French Patent Publication No. 854,607 published on Apr. 19, 1940 to Matthew M. Houghton illustrates an electric light which may be clipped to a diagonal "Sam Browne" type belt. The light is separate from the electrical power supply, which is worn on the back of the waist belt. As the light is attached only by a pair of electrical cords, the light must be held by hand in the desired position for aiming it, unlike the present apparatus. The Houghton apparatus cannot be adapted for the carriage of a conventional flashlight, as provided by the present shoulder mounted apparatus.
Finally, Canadian Patent Publication No. 646,257 issued on Aug. 7, 1962 to Thomas F. Cote, titled "Adjustable Flashlight Holder," describes a generally diagonal strap which is worn over one shoulder, with a clip for attaching a flashlight thereto. Cote does not provide any means for adjusting and locking the aim of the flashlight, as provided by the present invention, and the single strap does not provide the security of the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.